Tube clamp



Dec. 22, 1931. V H. BUYKEN ET AL 1,837,701

TUBE CLAMP Filed May 6, 1930 Iiliii l 1 m eorqeftBuy/reh Frank :7 Buyken INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1931 GEORGE E. VIBUYKEN ANnERANK E.

BUYKEN, 01 SEATTLE, WAVSHHIINGTLON TUBE C AMP Application filed. May 6,

The invention is a spring clip for holding tubes or round objects and is particularly adaptable for holding the tubular supports of neon signs.

The object of the invention is to provide a clip that will rigidly hold a tube and in which the tube may be readily placed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube clip in which a tube may be held without screws or the like. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring clip for holding tubes in which the position of the tube in the clip may readily be adjusted.

A still further object of the inventionis to provide a spring clip for holding tubes which. may readily be installed.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a spring clip for holding tubes which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies a spring clip having a flat base with an elongated opening therein, with a U- shaped portion having openings through both sides thereof, parallel to and raised slightly above the said base.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the draw ings, wherein t Figure 1 is a view showing the device as it would appear in use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the clip.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the clip.

Figure 4 is an end view of the clip.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the clip.

In the drawings the clip is shown as it would be made wherein numeral 1 indicates the base of the clip which is formed of a flat piece of material having an elongated opening 2 therein. The material of which the base is formed is bent upward at the point 3 forming a vertical portion 4:, and then outward at the point 5, forming the U-shaped section 6, the sides of which are substantially parallel to the base. A circular opening is placed through both of the sides with the sides held in a parallel position, as indicated by the dotted lines 7 in Figure'3. And it will 1930. seria in. 456,085.

be observed that when the sides are, released the edges of'the openings 8 and 9, which extend through the sides, will grip and bind a circular object that may be placed through these openings in which the diameter of the circular object is substantially the same as that of theopenings'S and 9. InFigure 3 a tube 10 is'shown held in the U-shaped portion 6 of the clip, and it will be noted that with the sides held together as indicated by the dotted lines 7, the tube may readily be inserted through the openings and when in the correct position the sides maybe released so that they will bind against the surfaces of the tube and rigidly hold the tube, and it will be noted that by slightly hold-v in the sides together the positionof'thel tube may be adjusted by slidingthe tube upward or downward and thetubemay then be held by releasing the sides. The clip may be held to a base or any surface by a screw 11, as shown in Figure l, which may be placed through the elongated opening 2 in the base 1.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, one of which changes may be in the general design of the clip, another maybe in the use of the clip forholding objects of any other shape, and still another may be in the use of other means for holding the clip;

The construction will be understood from the foregoing description. In use the clip may be attached to a base as shown in Figure 1, and the short tubes 10 may be placed in the clips, as hereinbeforedescribed. The light tubes, as indicated by the numeral 12 may then be attached to the ends of the tubes 10 by wires or any other suitable means, and the position of the tubes 10 in the spring. clips ymay be readily adjusted so that the light tubes will be even. It will thereforebe ob served that the light tubes may be readily held and adjusted without the use of screws or clips, or any other means for holding the a short tubes by which they are held. At the same time this simple spring clip will hold the short tubes very rigid and with a positive A grip so that there will be no danger whatever of their working loose or becomin detached. And at any time the tubes 10 may %e freed by pressing the sidesof the U-portion of the clip r together; as there are no threads or small 5 parts to rust or corrode to prevent the operation thereof l V 1 Hau ing thus fully desoribed the inyention,

what we claim asnew and; "desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. In a spring clip of the'character described; a 'basefand-a U-shaped portion s'\ib-' stantia-lly parallel with and slightly raised 7 from the saidbase, said base having an elon-' I 7: 1

gated opening therein, and the sides of thev said U-shaped portion having corresponding openings which; are inalignment with the sidesrheflld parallel tofeach other. r

- 251m tribe clamp: of thetype having aligned openings'the-= edges of whieh'bind and-grip-uponthe surface of an object passing-therethrou'gh as the openings separate, a ur-shape'd piece, of material ,in the) sides of Whieh-tthe said openings are formed, said pieceof material having spring quality-therein tending t'o:fo'rce the said sides away from eachiother, a-base attached tozthe end-of one of the sidesoutwardly-offset from the said side andparallel thereto, Iand-means in the said-base memberiby 'whioh it may :be 'at-' tached to an object.

. 1 Ina tiibeclamp "of the type haying a flat piece of spring: material formedinthe shape of aU'witli openings in thesides and-the sides having a'tendency to spring outward, a supporting member extending from the en'd of one of the sides outwardly ofiset therefrom anduparallel'to the sa id' side.

v In testimonywhereof they afii x 'theirsigmai tures.

. I GEORGE 5H. BUYKEN. FRANK; E.;BUYKE N.

so I' 

